Despite the proliferation of desktop and other small computers, many computer systems continue to be housed in upright cabinets of varying sizes. The front of the computer cabinets often have one or more doors. When open, the doors provide access to internal functional equipment, such as disk drives, and when closed provide protection for the equipment, as well as an appealing outer appearance for the cabinet. The door or doors may also provide a measure of security if they are lockable.
In cabinets having two doors, the cabinet is often configured so that the swinging ends of the doors are adjacent to each other at the interior of the front of the cabinet. In such a case, a single lock may be used to control the locking of both doors. This type of lock is referred to as a "two-way" lock. A two-way lock typically has more than the two lock positions (open/locked) found on a one-way lock. For example, if each door is to be independently lockable, the lock must have 4 positions, corresponding to the 4 possible sets of lock conditions of the two doors. And like all locks, two-way locks are preferably strong and smooth-acting, while achieving the functional requirements placed on them.